SOPA- and what it means to YOUR sovereign rights on the internet

Today, the US House Judiciary Committee has a hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA. The text of the bill is here. This bill would strengthen copyright holders' means to go after allegedly infringing sites at detrimental cost to the freedom and integrity of the Internet. As a result, we are joining forces with organizations such as the EFF, Mozilla, Wikimedia, and the FSF for American Censorship Day.

Part of this act would undermine the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act which would make sites like reddit and YouTube liable for hosting user content that may be infringing. This act would also force search engines, DNS providers, and payment processors to cease all activities with allegedly infringing sites, in effect, walling off users from them.

This bill sets a chilling precedent that endangers everyone's right to freely express themselves and the future of the Internet. If you would like to voice your opinion to those in Washington, please consider writing your representativeand the sponsors of this bill:

Lamar Smith (R-TX)

John Conyers (D-MI)

Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)

Howard L. Berman (D-CA)

Tim Griffin (R-AR)

Elton Gallegly (R-CA)

Theodore E. Deutch (D-FL)

Steve Chabot (R-OH)

Dennis Ross (R-FL)

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)

Lee Terry (R-NE)

Adam B. Schiff (D-CA)

Mel Watt (D-NC)

John Carter (R-TX)

Karen Bass (D-CA)

Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

Peter King (R-NY)

Mark E. Amodei (R-NV)

Tom Marino (R-PA)

Alan Nunnelee (R-MS)

John Barrow (D-GA)

Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)

William L. Owens (D-NY)

Like those early previews of Skyrim? Or that 5 hour stream of Dark Souls a few days before it came out? Or that wonderful walkthrough of Halo Reach on Legendary?

Well then you better suit up. Because if this thing passes the service providers and owners of an IP will have the right to REMOVE FREE INFORMATION off of the internet, under the pretext of Copyright infringement. Everyone knows Piracy is bad, and I'm sure hardly anyone on Giantbomb Pirates their games. The reason that this bill is a problem is that EVEN IF YOU DONT PIRATE YOUR GAME YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CONTENT REMOVED UNDER THE SUSPICION OF PIRATING.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111115/15040016780/sopaprotect-ip-would-be-hideously-bad-video-gamers.shtml

The last time I brought an issue like this to the table i was met with fierce resistance from Those who wanted to keep thier head buried in the sand and believe all is right in the world. Now is the time to fight my friends. Because even if you are one of those people, that surfs the web and thinks "I don't have to worry about the problems of the world, my internet will always protect me!" Then unfortunatley you are mistaken. because the very sand those people hide in is about to be contaminated. The Life force of Video gaming is coming under attack. The force of CREATIVITY, INDEPENDENCE AND INNOVATION!

Don't let them have it. Fight for what is rightfully yours and mine!

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/16/sopa-the-whole-worlds-inter.html

It's what Soap Would have wanted.

Is this an American thing only or can they go after any website anywhere in the world?

uhm, I'm pretty sure giant bomb got permission from Bethesda to run that marathon... just sayin

the entire world internet would go under the jurisdiction of the United states. (just added new links)

@Animasta:

NO I mean the live streams on sites like Justin.TV and Twitch.tv

Independent youtubeplaythroughs, speedruns ect ect.

@Revenant86 said:

The last time I brought an issue like this to the table i was met with fierce resistance from Those who wanted to keep thier head buried in the sand and believe all is right in the world. Now is the time to fight my friends.

This is so fucking corny

@Axxol:

we'll see how corny it is when you have to pay out the ass just to watch a stream that used to be free. Or more likely not able to watch that stream at all.

I'm sincerely hoping that this is just more political theater that won't actually lead to anything passing. It's such a stupid fucking bill.

@Revenant86 said:

@Axxol:

we'll see how corny it is when you have to pay out the ass just to watch a stream that used to be free. Or more likely not able to watch that stream at all.

None of this makes that other statement any less cornier. I understand your intentions, I just thought that it was funny.

@benjaebe:

i know. But if we show them that we won't allow our rights to be smashed, then we can stop them from passing it. We can kill this thing the same way wemade ubisoft kill DRM (or at least rethink it)

@Axxol said:

@Revenant86 said:

@Axxol:

we'll see how corny it is when you have to pay out the ass just to watch a stream that used to be free. Or more likely not able to watch that stream at all.

None of this makes that other statement any less cornier. I understand your intentions, I just thought that it was funny.

yes. Very sory, I'm just worked up about all this. I don't wan't our internet to bbecome like China's.

Wait, so they are actually starting to back up all of those copyright laws that have been there for years? Good.

@AlexW00d:

ugh. Well if they DO then a ton of the content on youtube, almost everything on justin.tv/twitch.tv, and just about every other independent source of gaming will be a canidate to being shut down. Did you read the article on why it's bad for videogames?

That sure is a lot of Republicans.

@Revenant86 said:

@benjaebe:

i know. But if we show them that we won't allow our rights to be smashed, then we can stop them from passing it. We can kill this thing the same way wemade ubisoft kill DRM (or at least rethink it)

@Axxol said:

@Revenant86 said:

@Axxol:

we'll see how corny it is when you have to pay out the ass just to watch a stream that used to be free. Or more likely not able to watch that stream at all.

None of this makes that other statement any less cornier. I understand your intentions, I just thought that it was funny.

yes. Very sory, I'm just worked up about all this. I don't wan't our internet to bbecome like China's.

No, I should apologize. I could have kept all of that to myself.

I have to read up on this more but from what I see so far, it sound like it would suck.

@Meowshi: 15 republicans. 10 democrats.

Thus, a majority of all Republicans support this.

@Meowshi:

unfortunatley yes. the democrats by and large don't support the legislation so far as I know. But Republican/Democrat has nothing to do with It. I'd give you Obama's email if I had it. Every person on Capitol hill needs to know we will not stand for this.

I don't know...kind of sounds like this will violate first amendment rights (At least the way you put it, haven't looked at it myself).

Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e. the ability to access Web content, without censorship or restrictions. Freedom of information is also explicitly protected by acts such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of Ontario, in Canada.

If this passes, Justin.TV will just shut down. I used to watch streaming movies all the time there a year ago.

I am also concerned about this topic. As a Canadian I wish the Americans good luck in saving the world from themselves.

I thought republicans were suppose to be for less government not more? These regulations and the way they are worded, especially the immunities for everyone with their hand out just makes me not want to live on this planet anymore.

@Revenant86: Thats@Revenant86 said:

the entire world internet would go under the jurisdiction of the United states. (just added new links)

Lol what? The US owns the entirety of the net? Think you need to check your facts there mate. This bill would only affect America so I'm not bothered really.

AHAHAHA. Yes, THIS is the death of our rights. THIS is when we're done. When we have to pay to watch content that costs money to produce. Oh man, what's next, are they going to make free refills at soda machines a felony?

^ Incredible failure at understanding just what this bill represents right there. How about the government's ability to take a website down and not give any reason whatsoever if they cite it as a copyright issue? How about the inability to post even derivative works such as comedy reviews ultimately making parody and fair use out to be no more? Do your research. Understand that this is not only taking YOUR rights, but also giving nearly unlimited rights to Big Content.

if this bill passes and changes the way I surf the internet, I will move out of the USA

this bill will affect ALL of us who use the internet. this bill as is stand MUST BE STOPPED. get the word out tell everyone!!! especially those people who are in power and have the ability to stop it.

so if it pass giantbomb is doomed GOOD :D

This won't pass, even it does Obama's stated his intention to veto. It's too insane and violates fair use too much to work.

@MikkaQ said:

This won't pass, even it does Obama's stated his intention to veto. It's too insane and violates fair use too much to work.

the same obama that gave up to the GOP like 75% of the time.

@bluehulk11 said:

the same obama that gave up to the GOP like 75% of the time.

But those times weren't in an election year.

Typical America. Trying to police the world and causing havoc everywhere they can. I highly doubt it will happen though. If the living standards weren't really high here than I would definitely move out of the US.

To me the only good thing about SOPA is no more michael pachter :D

@CaLe said:

Is this an American thing only or can they go after any website anywhere in the world?

They can go after a site --- but it isn't "American" in any sense of the word. They can shut down a site based on a darned accusation? Sorry, they can make it exceptionally difficult to reach a site based on an accusation?

DMCA was a horrible law. This is, amazingly, far worse.

@Still_I_Cry said:

I have to read up on this more but from what I see so far, it sound like it would suck.

@Meowshi: 15 republicans. 10 democrats.

Thus, a majority of all Republicans support this.

15 Republicans < majority of all Republicans. Why Republicans do ANYTHING for the entertainment industry that loathes them is beyond me. Heck, raise taxes on them. Bring back the movie ticket surtax that Eisenhower cut. Increase surtaxes on CD's, DVD's, and digital downloads. Raise taxes on movie production and force them to use GAAP.

Don't HELP them.

Well, sopa means soup around here, and soup is always good for you. So Im going with that.

Just so people don't think this is being blown out of proportion here's an article from an industry respected web design site http://www.alistapart.com/articles/say-no-to-sopa/ detailing the absurd reach of this bill.

Also, for people who don't think it will affect them because they don't live in the US, consider the fact that many of the world's largest and most popular websites are based in America. But even if you don't care about Google, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and many other sites, then ask yourself how confident you are in a similar bill not eventually being passed by the government of your own country.

@MikeinSC: I was being sarcastic with the republican comment :P

@bluehulk11 said:

To me the only good thing about SOPA is no more michael pachter :D

YES!!!!!!

This bill is pretty frightening at the amount of freedom it would take away. And I know that a lot of people might think "well hey, its just being asked to pay for things that people made, why is that bad." Well it's bad because say here on giantbomb, someone could post in a forum a video from a site that isn't using the content legally, and then they could take down this whole site just for that, something that the whiskey media staff didn't even do. And that goes for anyone out there who has a website that allows people to post on it, you could have spent years on that website and turned it into a business, but the moment some troll on the web decides they don't like you, all they have to do is put up a video or a song that you don't own and you could get shut down.

This bill is crazy in every sense of the word, it would mean the end of the Internet pretty much. Though it most likely won't pass I think people should be worried, because this could (read: will) lead to the Government abusing it to restrict freedom of speech on the Internet; which will lead to censorship and restrictions in other medias too.

@Still_I_Cry said:

@MikeinSC: I was being sarcastic with the republican comment :P

Ah.

I could explain the RIAA's excesses years ago (even if they were really stupid excesses). I cannot explain this. I'm not one to proclaim the end of freedom --- but this is a bill that could deeply damage the internet. You hear all these supporters saying "Well, nobody would do anything about something like that" --- except those suits inevitably get brought up at some point.

Bump, because this needs more attention.

This bill still needs to die.

As a conservative, I still say WHY IN THE HECK ARE REPUBLICANS DOING ANYTHING TO HELP HOLLYWOOD OR THE RECORDING INDUSTRY?

Screw the lot of them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57344536-503544/sopa-bill-to-stop-online-piracy-hits-minor-snag-in-house/

jesus. if this passes on wednesday. will it go into effect immediately?

if this goes through we're all fucked, and whiskey media will be potentially severely crippled

@mrfluke said:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57344536-503544/sopa-bill-to-stop-online-piracy-hits-minor-snag-in-house/

jesus. if this passes on wednesday. will it go into effect immediately?

if this goes through we're all fucked, and whiskey media will be potentially severely crippled

No. If makes it out of committee, it then goes to the House for a proper vote to make it a law. I don't see any way this thing will hold up to scrutiny if it actually makes it out of committee. The thing is batshit crazy.

here are some reads for people who are interested in knowing how bad this will potentially fuck up everybody

http://www.collegenews.com/article/what_sopa_means_for_gamers

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2011/12/16/how-sopa-could-ruin-my-life/

the ignorant can troll all they want, but if this passes, ill like to see them troll then,

This bill is not dead yet. Keep fighting x.x

For those of you that don't like to read..... 
 
  

I wrote to my representatives so I did my part. There are a few sites out there that will even make an email for you, all they need is some basic information. Here is one such link.

Can this only affect websites on American servers ?